Loudoun County, Va., officials address allegations against hate group leader

LEESBURG, Va. — The Loudoun, Va., Board of Supervisors on Tuesday commented on allegations that Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling, Va.) used county resources for political gain and that he has engaged in questionable campaign fund raising practices.

Delgaudio, who has publicly denounced gay people as “perverts” and “freaks,” has routinely injected himself into political battles across the country through his conservative nonprofit group, Public Advocate.

In particular, Delgaudio has used Public Advocate to rail against same-sex-marriage initiatives in various states and argues that federal anti-bullying legislation and even airport pat-downs are evidence of a “radical homosexual” agenda. He has also been accused by a former staffer of mixing that organization’s business with county business.

“Recently, allegations have been made in the media regarding the use of Board staff aides and other government resources for political fundraising by a member of the Board of Supervisors,” the Board of Supervisors said Tuesday, in a statement. “These allegations, if true, are at least a violation of county policy and are being taken seriously by the Board. The county’s policy for staff aides clearly states that ‘political activity must not occur using county property or during county paid time.’”

“When the Board’s leadership team was made aware of these allegations against Supervisor Delgaudio, we asked that the complaint filed against Mr. Delgaudio be given to the Loudoun County Commonwealth Attorney Jim Plowman for review. Mr. Plowman then referred the matter to the Commonwealth Attorney’s office in Arlington for an independent assessment.

“Based on the information provided at that time, the Arlington’s Commonwealth Attorney did not recommend pursuing any charges against Mr. Delgaudio.”

The Loudoun Times Mirrorreported that Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott York (R-At Large) is expected to request a board vote Wednesday whether to conduct an independent investigation into allegations of misconduct. York will likely ask that the board have the Finance, Government Services and Operations Committee do a thorough review of all board aide policies.

Last week, the Washington Postreported that several Delgaudio aides told FBI agents that they were tasked with inappropriate political duties while working in his Supervisor’s office. The Board Of Supervisor’s statement however, noted that none of the county’s top officals have been contacted.

Delgaudio is also the subject of a federal lawsuit filed in U. S. District Court in Denver, Colo., By the SPLC last week, alleging that Public Advocate unlawfully used an altered version of a same-sex couple’s engagement photo on anti-gay-marriage campaign literature in Colorado.